Toggle switch



July 31, 1956 A. E. SPARR ET AL 2,757,252

TOGGLE SWITCH Filed July 2, 1954 United States Patent O TOGGLE SWITCH Albert E. Sparr, Meadville, Pa., and Kenneth J. Chichester, Stamford, Conn., assignors to Talon, Inc., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 2, 1954, Serial No. 440,912

13 Claims. (Cl. 20G-67) This invention relates to electric switches, and more particularly to a manually operable toggle switch of the multiple pole type.

Various types of electric snap switches of the toggle type have been heretofore suggested and used which usually employ tiltable contact members. While some of these switches have been satisfactory, others have been unsatisfactory for various reasons. in some of these, oftentimes, diiculty was encountered in insuring contact at all times between the tiltable contact members and the stationary or fixed contacts. This was usually due to the fact that arcing occurred between the stationary and movable contacts and, also, that the material from which they were made, usually silver or a silver alloy, would gradually wear down or changes in height of the contacts would occur due to the transfer of silver from one contact to the other when making and breaking the circuit. Consequently, this resulted in one contact being of less height than the others thereby tending to decrease the etiiciency of the switch.

Also, in some switches of this type the actuating means and tiltable contact members with which they co-operated oftentimes encountered a dead center position which was objectionable and interfered with the use and dependable operation of the switch. According to the present invention, there is provided a toggle switch wherein all of these disadvantages and others have been eliminated.

It is the general object of the present invention to provide an improved toggle switch having the parts thereof Yso constructed and arranged that any wearing of the contact points due to arcing or other causes is compensated for soy as to insure contact between the points at all times thereby increasing the capacity and life of the switch.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved toggle switch of the double pole type which consists of a minimum number of parts which can be economically fabricated and assembled.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved toggle switch of the multiple type having a new and novel means for insuring good electrical connection at all times between the tiltable contact members and the stationary or fixed contacts so that the switch lis at all times reliable and eflicient in its operation and use.

lt is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved toggle switch of the ydouble pole type wherein movement of the operating member or handle positively moves the tiltable contact members with respect to the stationary or fixed contacts .to overcome any tendency to retard the action of the tiltable Contact members and insure their movement to either position with a snap and positive action.

lt is a more specic object of this invention to provide an improved toggle switch of the double pole type having the parts thereof so constructed and arranged and being relatively small so as to provide a switch of the so-called miniature type which is adapted to meet 2,757,252 Patented July 31, 19,56

ICC

commercial needs where other types are not satisfactory because of size.

Various other objects and advantages of this invention will be more apparent in the course of the following specification, and will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, there is shown lfor the purpose of illustration, an embodiment which our invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the improved toggle switch of our invention,

Fig. 2 is a bottom view thereof,

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view through the switch,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the tiltable contact members, and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a modified form of the block-like member and pin assembly.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is provided a rectangular-shaped casing 2 preferably made of brass but which may be made of any suitable moldable material which houses the movable parts of the switch and which is open at top and bottom. The inner end of this casing 2 is closed by a base member 3 which is made of any suitable insulating material such as melmac and which is attached thereto by any suitable means. In this base member 3, there is arranged two pairs of xed contacts 5, 6, and 5a, 6a with one of each pair arranged at each end thereof. These contacts are merely rivet-heads having a convex surface and constituting a part of the rivets 7, 8, 7a, 8a respectively, which extend through the base member 3. On the outer ends of these rivets 7, 8, and 7a, Sa and on the outer side of the base 3, there is arranged a pair of identical wire terminal members 9, 10 and 9a, lila which are held in place by the heads of the respective rivets 7, 8, and 7a, 8a.

Centrally, of the base member 3, there is arranged on the inner side thereof within the casing 2, a pair of spacedapart pivot or fulcrum members 13 and 13a which are secured to the base by means of rivets 14 and 14a respectively, extending therethrough. On the inner side of the base 3 there is secured to the rivets 14 and 14a, wire terminal member 15 and 15a respectively, identical with the wire terminal members 9, 9a, 10, 10a. Each of these pivot members 13 and 13a have a pair of spaced-apart inwardly extending liiange portions 16 and 16a in each of which there is arranged a substantially V-shaped bearing notch 1'7 and 17a respectively, for a purpose hereinafter to be described.

Within the casing 2, there is arranged substantially parallel to one another a pair of spaced-apart movable or tiltable contact members 18 and 18a preferably made from a highly conductive material. There is carried by these Contact members 18 and 18a, centrally thereof, a pair of spaced-apart substantially V-shaped ear portions or projections 20 and 20a which are spaced-apart substantially the same distance as the iiange portions 16 and 16a of the pivot members 1'3 and 13a are spaced-apart. These V-shaped notches 17 and 17a of the pivot members 13 and 13a, respectively, are slightly larger than the V-,shaped ear portions 2i) and 20a and are provided for a purpose hereinafter to be described.

There is arranged on the pivot members 13 and 13a in the space between the inwardly extending flange portions 16 and 16a respectively, and between the inner ends of V-shaped bearing portions 20 and 29a of the tiltable contact members 18 and 18a respectively, keeper members 4 and 4u respectively, having spaced-apart ange portions 12 and 12a respectively for maintaining the V- shaped ears in position in their corresponding V-shaped notches so as to prevent transverse displacement thereof. These keeper members 4 and 4a are also held in position by the rivets 14 and 14a which are disposed in holes in the bottom thereof. At each end of each of the contact members 18 and 18a, there is arranged contact buttons 21 and 21a made of a highly conductive material, such as silver, which engage and disengage with the respective ycontacts 5, a and 6, 6a arranged in the base 3.

On the outer side of the casing 2, there is arranged preferably an eXteriorly-threaded nipple-like member 22, the inner end of which is suitably held in position in a circular hole in the outer side of the casing. There is arranged within the nipple-like member 22, a lever or operating handle member 24 having a portion which extends out through a slotted opening 24a in the outer end of this nipple-like member 22. On the inner end of the lever 24, there is arranged a spherical or bulbous portion 25 which is disposed within the nipple-like member and bears against an arcuate bearing surface 26 within the reduced neck portion at the outer end of the nipple-like member.

The lever or handle member 24 is axially hollow and there is arranged therein, a compression spring 28 and a cylindrical plunger 29 with the plunger having an arcuate or semi-spherical end portion 30. Within the nipplelike member 22 at the inner end thereof, there is arranged a pin member 31 which extends into the casing 2. One end of this pin member 31 has a concavity 32 therein so as to receive and co-operate with the inner arcuate or semi-spherical end portion 3@ of the plunger 29. The other or inner end of this pin member 31 is arcuate or semi-spherical in shape, as at 33.

Within the casing and directly opposite the central portion of the tiltable contact members 18 and 18a, there is arranged a rectangular-shaped block-like actuating member 40 which bridges these tiltable contact members 18 and 13a, as more clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. In the outer surface of this block-like member 4t) there is arranged centrally thereof, a substantially U- shaped recess or cavity 41 in which inner arcuate or semispherical end 33 of the pin member 31 is seated. In the inner surface of this block-like member 40, there is arranged a pair of ball bearings 42 and 42a with one arranged in each of the recesses 43 and 43a, respectively, adjacent each end of the block-like member directly opposite the respective tiltable contact members 18 and 18a. The ball bearings 42 and 42a are seated in recesses or apertures 44 and 44a, respectively, arranged in the respective tiltable contact members centrally thereof between the ears or projecting portions 2t) and 20a, so as to space the central portion of the inner flat face 45 of the block-like member 40 from upper flat face of the contact members, as at 46, whereby the contact members are rockable relative to the block-like member.

This means of supporting the tiltable contact members is one of the most important aspects of the present invention. It will be seen that due to the fact that there is provided a space 46 between inner flat face 45 of the block-like member 40 and the upper surfaces of both of the tiltable contact members 18 and 18a, that a certain amount of lost motion results between the block-like member and the contact members when the block-like member is moved by the lever 24 to actuate the switch. That is to say, the contact members will not be moved until the forward edge of the block-like member comes in contact with the upper surface of the contact members, as shown in Fig. 3. The contact members are supported and moved by the block-like member independently of one another but substantially simultaneously. As a result it will be noted that if one contact is of less height than the corresponding contact on the same side of the switch that contact will be assured at all times due to the independent action of the contact members. Thus it will be seen that this construction compensates for any wear or change in height of the contacts so as to assure good electrical contact between the contacts at all times and under any conditions.

In Fig. 7 of the drawings there is shown a modified form of the block-like member and pin assembly. In this construction there is provided a transverse member 5t? similar to the block-like member 40 having recesses 52 and 52a arranged in each end thereof in which the ball bearings 42 and 42a, respectively, are adapted to be seated. There is arranged centrally of this transverse member 5t? and integral therewith an outwardly extending pin-like member 5l., similar to the pin member 31 in the preferred form.

As a result of our invention it will be seen that there is provided an improved toggle switch of the lever operated type having a new and novel means for supporting and actuating the tiltable contact members whereby contact is assured at all times between the tiltable contact members and the stationary or fixed contacts. It will also be seen that there is provided a toggle switch which is strong and rugged in its construction and one which is foolproof, dependable and positive in its operation.

While we have shown and described an embodiment which our invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this embodiment is merely for the purpose of illustration and description, and that other forms may be devised within the scope of our invention as defined in the appended claims.

What we claim as our invention is:

l. In a switch of the class described, a casing, a base attached to said casing having two pairs of fixed contacts with one arranged at opposite ends thereof, a pair of spaced-apart tiltable contact members with one arranged opposite each of said pairs of 'fixed contacts substantially parallel to one another and being engageable alternately with their respective fixed contacts, contact means carried by said tiltable contact members adjacent each end thereof which are adapted to contact their respective xed contacts, current carrying means tiltably supporting said tiltable contact members centrally thereof, a movable member arranged in said casing opposite said contact members centrally thereof so as to bridge the same independent bearing, means arranged between said movable member adjacent each end thereof and the central portion of the opposed respective tiltable contact members so as to space the central portion of said movable member a slight distance from said contact members, means arranged in said movable member and in the respective contact members in which said independent bearing means are seated whereby said contact members are independently rockable relative to said movable member, and means for actuating said movable member which in turn actuates said tiltable contact members.

2. In a switch of the class described, the combination as defined in claim l, wherein the independent bearing means arranged between the movable member adjacent each end thereof and the central portion of the opposed respective tiltable contact members consists of a pair of ball bearings arranged in the inner face of said movable member and seated on said tiltable contact members.

3. In a switch of the class described, a casing, a base attached to said casing having two pairs of xed contacts with one arranged at opposite ends thereof, a pair of spaced-apart tiltable contact members with one arranged opposite each of said pairs of fixed contacts substantially parallel to one another and being engageable alternately with their respective fixed contacts, contact means carried by said tiltable contact members adjacent each end thereof which are adapted to contact their respective fixed contacts, current carrying means tiltably supporting said tiltable contact members centrally thereof, a movable, rectangular-shaped, block-like member arranged in said cas- 'ing opposite said contact members centrally thereof so as to bridge the same, independent bearing means arranged between said block-like member adjacent each end thereof and the central portion of the opposed respective tilt able contact members so as to space the central portion of the inner surface of said block-like member a slight distance from said contact members, means arranged in said movable member and in the respective contact members in which said independent bearing means are seated whereby said contact members are independently rockable relative to said block-like member, actuating means for tilting said tiltable contact members including a manually operated lever arranged opposite said block-like member with which it co-operates, said block-like member having a substantially U-shaped recess arranged in the outer surface thereof in which the inner end of said operating lever is disposed.

4. In a switch of the class described, a casing, a base attached to said casing having two pairs of fixed contacts with one arranged at opposite ends thereof, a pair of spaced-apart tiltable Contact members with one arranged opposite each of said pairs of fixed contacts substantially parallel to one another and being engageable alternately with their respective fixed contacts, contact means carried by said tiltable contact members adjacent each end thereof which are adapted to contact their respective fixed contacts, current carrying means tiltably supporting said tiltable contact members centrally thereof, a block-like member made of an insulating material arranged in said casing opposite said contact members centrally thereof so as to bridge the same, a pair of ball bearings arranged between said block-like member and said tilting contact members with one arranged at each end of said blocklilte member and seated on the opposed respective contact member centrally thereof so as to space the central portion of said block-like member a slight distance from said Contact members whereby said contact members are roekable relative to said block-like member, said block-like member adapted to contact both of said Contact members to either side of said ball bearings, and means for actuating said block-like member which in turn actuates said tiltable contact members.

5. In a switch of the class described the combination as defined in claim 4, wherein the means for actuating the block-like member which in turn actuates the tiltable contact members consists of a pivoted operating member, a movable plunger carried by said operating member and a spring biasing said plunger into engagement with said block-like member centrally thereof.

6. In a switch of the class described, a casing, a base attached to said casing having two pairs of fixed contacts with one arranged at opposite ends thereof, a pair of spaced-apart tiltable contact members with one arranged opposite each of said pairs of fixed contacts substantially parallel to one another and being engageable alternately with their respective fixed contacts, contact means carried by said tiltable contact members adjacent each end thereof which are adapted to contact their respective fixed contacts, current carrying means tiltably supporting said tiltable contact members having a recess arranged therein centrally thereof directly opposite their respective tiltable supporting means, a movable member arranged in said casing opposite both of said tiltable contact members centrally thereof so as to bridge the same and having a recess arranged in each end thereof directly opposite the respective recesses in said tiltable contact members, a pair of spherical members arranged between said insulating member and said tiltable contact members with one positioned in each of the recesses in said movable member and seated in the opposed recess of their respective tiltable contact members so as to space the central portion of said movable member a slight distance from said tiltable contact members and to provide a pivotal arrangement there-- between whereby said contact members are rockable relative to said movable member, and actuating means for tilting said tiltable contact members including a manually operated lever which acts on said movable member and in turn said spherical members to actuate said tiltable contact members.

7. In a switch of the class described, the combination as defined in claim 6, wherein the movable member consists of a rectangular-shaped block-like member having a substantially U-shaped recess arranged centrally thereof on the outer surface of the same in which the inner end ofthe operating lever is disposed.

8. In a switch of the class described, a casing, a base attached to said casing having two pairs of fixed contacts with one of each pair arranged at opposite ends thereof, a pair of spaced-apart tiltable contact members with one arranged opposite each of said pairs of fixed contacts substantially parallel to one another and being engageable alternately with their respective fixed contacts, Contact means carried by each of said tiltable members adjacent each end thereof which are adapted to contact their respective fixed contacts, current carrying fulcrum means tiltably supporting said tiltable contact members centrally thereof comprising a pair of members carried by said base with each having a substantially V- shaped bearing notch arranged therein, each of said contact members having a substantially V-shaped projecting portion carried thereby which is positioned in the V- shaped notch of their respective supporting members, each of said tiltable contact members having a recess arranged therein centrally thereof directly opposite said V-shaped projecting portion carried thereby, a movable member arranged in said casing opposite both of said tiltable contact members centrally thereof so as to bridge the same, independent bearing means arranged between said movable member adjacent each end thereof and the central portion of the opposed respective tiltable contact members so as to space the central portion of said movable member a slight distance from said contact members and to provide a lpivotal arrangement therebetween, means arranged in said movable member and in the respective contact members in which the independent bearing means are seated whereby said contact members are independently rockable relative to said movable member, and manual means for actuating said movable member which in turn actuates said tiltable contact members.

9. In a switch of the class described, the combination as defined in claim 8, wherein the means arranged between the movable member adjacent each end thereof and the central portion of the opposed respective tiltable contact members consists of a pair of ball bearings arranged in the inner face of said movable member and seated on said tiltable contact members.

l0. In a switch of the class described, the combination as defined in claim 8, wherein the movable member consists of a rectangular-shaped block-like member having a substantially U-shaped recess arranged centrally thereof on the outer surface of the same in which the inner end of the operating lever is disposed.

l1. In a switch of the class described, a casing, a base attached to said casing having two pairs of fixed contacts with one of each pair arranged at opposite ends thereof, a pair of spaced-apart tiltable contact members with one arranged opposite each of said pairs of fixed contacts substantially parallel to one another and being engageable alternately with their respective fixed contacts, contact means carried by each of said tiltable members adjacent each end thereof which are adapted to contact their respective fixed contacts, current carrying fulcrum means tiltably supporting said tiltable contact members centrally thereof comprising a pair of members carried by said base with each having a substantially V-shaped bearing notch arranged therein, each of said contact members having a substantially V-shaped projecting portion carried thereby which is positioned in the V-shaped notch of their respective supporting members, each of said tiltable contact members having a recess arranged therein centrally thereof directly opposite said V-shaped projecting portion carried thereby, a movable member arranged in said casing opposite both of said tiltable contact members centrally thereof so as to bridge the same and having a lrecess arranged in each end thereof opposite the respecvtive recesses in said tiltable contact members, a pair of spherical members arranged between said movable member and said tiltable contact members with one positioned in each of the recesses in said movable member and seated in the opposed recess of their respective tiltable contact members so as to space the central portion of said movable member a slight distance from said tiltable contact members and to provide a pivotal arrangement therebetween whereby said contact members are rockable relative to said movable member, actuating means for tilting said contact members simultaneously including a manually operated lever having a plunger slidably arranged therewith which cooperates with means for tilting said movable member and for actuating both of the said tiltable contact members, and spring means urging said plunger into engagement with said last mentioned means which in turn urges the same in engagement with said movable member.

l2. In a switch of the class described, a casing, a base attached to said casing having two pairs of liXed contacts with one of each pair arranged at opposite ends thereof, a pair of spacedapart tiltable contact members with one arranged opposite each of said pairs of Xed contacts substantially parallel to one another and being engageable alternately with their respective fixed contacts, contact means carried by each of said tiltable members adjacent each end thereof which are adapted to contact their respective xed contacts, current carrying fulcrum means tiltably supporting said tiltable contact members centrally thereof comprising a pair of members carried by said base with each having a substantially V-shaped bearing notch arranged therein, each of said contact members having a pair of spaced-apart substantially V-shaped bearing notches arranged therein, each of said contact members having a pair of spaced-apart substantially V-shaped portions projecting from one side thereof centrally of the same which are positioned in the V-shaped notches in their respective supporting members, each of said tiltable Contact members having a recess arranged therein centrally thereof between said V-shaped projecting portions, a rectangular-shaped, block-like member made of an insulating material arranged in said casing opposite both of said tiltable contact members so as to bridge the same and having a recess arranged on each end thereof opposite the respective recesses in said tiltable contact members, a pair of ball bearings arranged between said blocklike member and said tiltable contact members with one arranged in each of the recesses in said block-like member and seated in the opposed recess of their respective tiltable contact members so as to space the central portion of said block-like member a slight distance from said tiltable contact members and to provide a pivotal arrangement therebetween whereby said contact members are rockable relative to said block-like member, said block-like member adapted to contact said tiltable contact members to either side of said ball bearings, and means for actuating said block-like member which in turn actuates said tiltable contact members.

13. In a switch of the class described the combination as dened in claim 12, wherein the means for actuating the block-like member which in turn actuates the tiltable contact members consists of a pivoted operating member, a movable plunger carried by said operating member and a spring biasing said plunger into engagement with said block-like member centrally thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,248,361 Krieger July 8, 1941 2,267,203 Krieger Dec. 23, 1941 2,377,134 Dietrich May 29, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 623,514 Great Britain May 18, 1949 

